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Quote by Keith Johnstone

“The problem's always been to deal with the fear.Cos the fear is pretty . . . it ruins everybody really.”

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Keith Johnstone, born in 1933, is a renowned playwright from the United Kingdom. His works are known for their unique theatrical theories and practices, which have had a profound impact on modern drama. more

“I tell people not to do their best. I don't know when that started. Quite a while ago. Because I . . . when they're doing their best I don't get their best. So I try to persuade them to be average. Because if you're wonderful and you're average, you're still wonderful. If you're a bad improviser and you're average, you're what you are.”

People Ifs Knows Trying Stills Wonderful Average

Author:Keith Johnstone

“Trying to do better is trying to be better than you actually are, and I don't think you can do that.”

Thinking Trying Can Do Better Than You

Author:Keith Johnstone

“Wherever you go it's the same fear. And the same protective devices. There is one big error I think and partly my fault which is that a lot of things are taught to beginners which you can cast off later on.”

Thinking Bigs Taught Errors Faults Casts Devices Protective Beginners

Author:Keith Johnstone

“Where if you're in a universe where you have to accept ideas, you'll never know if your partner wanted the garbage you're handing them. They have to take it.”

Ifs Knows Ideas Wanted Universe Accepting Partners Garbage

Author:Keith Johnstone

“I see a great lack of stories around. I bought six literary magazines and looked through them to see what people were doing. There wasn't a story in them. They were all about how poetic the feelings of the author were.”

People Stories Feelings Six Magazines Poetic

Author:Keith Johnstone

“In my school, the library was forbidden. I was accused of turning on the radiator so that the [class]room was uninhabitable and the ceiling came down below; I'm pretty sure I didn't do it. But then we were moved to the library. And there was a really boring history thing, about the Spanish Armada: how could you make that boring?!So I reached my hand out, and slid a book off to read under the desk, and it opened at King Lear Act Four Scene Six. I was astounded. I'd never seen language like it. I was awestruck. I think that may be one reason why I got involved in theatre.”

Thinking May Book Reason Hands School Language Rooms Class Four Kings Involved Scene Six Moved Library Boring Theatre Reason Why Desks Forbidden Accused Ceilings Lear Astounded Awestruck

Author:Keith Johnstone

“Some people in this life think they're worth something, or that they have a right to things. I never thought I had a right to anything 'cause of the way I was broken as a child. And therefore I was sort of floating around and would get sucked into things.”

People Thinking Way Children Causes Broken This Life Floating

Author:Keith Johnstone

“I was crazy about silent comedy - in the old days, and crazy about Japanese movies.”

Comedy Crazy Silent Old Days

Author:Keith Johnstone

“The improvisation had to be in public, because you only get value playing to strangers.”

Values Stranger Improvisation

Author:Keith Johnstone

“I'm not against work, I think work is great, I work a lot; but if you want to play, the consequences must not be important.”

Ifs Thinking Want Important Play Consequence

Author:Keith Johnstone

Quote by Keith Johnstone

Author

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